Melanie Onn at the official opening of the Orsted East Coast Hub. with Matthew Wright, left, Orsted managing director, and Darren Ranshaw, head of region for Orsted. (Image: Jon Corken/Grimsby Live)

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Grimsby’s former MP Melanie Onn is back in Westminster – as deputy chief executive of RenewableUK.

The Labour representative in December’s General Election lost her seat, having been the town’s first female MP when she was elected to replace Austin Mitchell in 2015.

Now she will continue her absolute belief in offshore wind and a low carbon agenda on a national level.

In her new role, replacing another South Bank figure in Maf Smith – with his former colleague Emma Pinchbeck also having left to become Energy UK chief executive, she will focus particularly on public speaking and media work. She will also lead on helping the supply chain members to grow, and on the development of the skilled workforce the industry needs, including opening up wider areas of the sector to more women.

Melanie Onn welcoming MHI Vestas's Matthew Paterson and Humber Gateway offshore wind farm apprentice Amy Harris to a House of Commons reception during her time as an MP. (Image: MHI Vestas)

RenewableUK’s chief executive, Hugh McNeal, said “I’m absolutely delighted that a talented and passionate public servant of Melanie’s calibre has chosen this role as her next step after serving as an MP. She’s a powerful advocate for renewable energy and has been instrumental in the transformation of Grimsby, a global hub for offshore wind.

“Melanie’s choice to join us is testament to the extraordinary impact that RenewableUK’s members are having as they build Britain’s future energy system.”

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In four and a half years as an MP, the former Unison executive’s time including periods as Shadow Minister for Housing, Communities and Local Government and Shadow Deputy Leader of the House of Commons.

Ms Onn said: “This is an incredibly exciting time to be joining this innovative sector, as the public is demanding decisive action on climate change and the eyes of the world will be on this country as we host the crucial COP26 summit in November. RenewableUK’s members are driving the changes the UK needs to reach net zero emissions as fast as possible.

“The transition to a net zero economy is a once in a lifetime opportunity for the UK to create new industries and jobs. I only need to look at my hometown of Grimsby, where investment in offshore wind is playing a major role in starting to revitalise the local economy and supporting regeneration.

"In my new role, I want to champion the wide range of clean technologies we’ll need to accelerate the UK’s successful transition to net zero.”

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One of her final acts before the unsuccessful campaign that ended with the smashing of Labour's 'Red Wall of the North', had seen her officially open the £14 million East Coast Hub - home to global offshore wind giant Orsted's Grimsby operations. Just after she was elected she had been out to a wind farm too, while aiding the Danish giant to settle and cement links in her constituency as it scaled up.

Emma Toulson, lead stakeholder advisor for Ørsted, and current Humber Renewables champion, said: “We are pleased to hear about Melanie’s news and would like to congratulate her on this exciting opportunity. We have worked very well together over the years and it will be great to work with her again, albeit in a different role.

“Melanie can clearly bring good knowledge of the wind industry to the role, direct from the region that’s leading the charge. She has always been supportive of campaigns such as Women in Manufacturing and Engineering (WiME), so I think she will also be a great ambassador for diversity in the sector.”

Time Line

Grimsby's growth in offshore wind - our guide to what's out there and what's next

Lynn & Inner Dowsing

Commissioned: 2008

Lead developer: Centrica

Turbines: 54

Size: 3.6MW

Manufacturer: Siemens Gamesa

Capacity: 194MW

The identical farms were built in 2007 and 2008, just off Skegness, and were the first developments out of Grimsby. The turbines have a 104m rotation span and a 134m total height to blade tip.

Operated by Centrica, from Grimsby’s North Quay, it was sold to Green Investment Bank and BlackRock in February 2016, when the owner of British Gas decided not to stay in the sector.

Operations and maintenance was taken over by Siemens, with balance of plant and governance from ExCeCo.

Lincs

Commissioned: 2013

Lead developer: Centrica

Turbines: 75

Size: 3.6MW

Manufacturer: Siemens Gamesa

Capacity: 270MW

Located immediately behind Lynn & Inner Dowsing, and again using the Siemens 3.6MW model, it was opened by then Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, and came complete with the first purpose built O&M centre on North Quay.

It was initially operated by Centrica, with Dong Energy – now Orsted – and Siemens Project Ventures both holding a 25 per cent stake. It was sold to Green Investment Bank in 2017 by Centrica and Siemens. Operations and maintenance was taken on by Orsted, having retained 25 per cent stake.

Humber Gateway

Commissioned: 2015

Lead developer: E.on

Turbines: 73

Size: 3MW

Manufacturer: MHI Vestas

Capacity: 219MW

Just north of the mouth of the Humber, and the closest farm to Grimsby – with the turbines clearly visible beyond Spurn Point from Cleethorpes – the £800 million project marked the arrival of MHI Vestas. Operated and wholly owned by E.on, again from North Quay, it was launched by Energy Minister Andrea Leadsom, having hit full power in May 2015.

Westermost Rough

Commissioned: 2015

Lead developer: Orsted

Turbines: 35

Size: 6MW

Manufacturer: Siemens Gamesa

Capacity: 210MW

The first owner-operator project from what is now Orsted, off the East Yorkshire coast, it features Siemens’ 6MW turbines in a commercial deployment first. They have a 154m rotation span and a 177m total height to blade tip. It brought with it a brand new Royal Dock facility, the forerunner to the massively expanded £14 million East Coast Hub. Orsted has retained 50 per cent, with the balance split between Marubeni Corporation and Green Investment Bank. It hit full power in May 2015 and was officially inaugurated by Lord Chris Haskins, chairman of Humber Local Enterprise Partnership, in the July – with Hornsea Project One decision announced on the very same day.

Race Bank

Commissioned: 2018

Lead developer: Orsted

Turbines: 91

Size: 6MW

Manufacturer: Siemens Gamesa

Capacity 573MW

Officially the largest completed wind farm yet, the build began in April 2016 and completed in late December 2017, with full power hit in early 2018. Orsted, having acquired off plan from Centrica, once again turned to Siemens, with the project the first to be truly pan-Humber, as blades were produced and shipped out from Hull. Located 17 miles off the Lincolnshire coast at Chapel St Leonards, it is equidistant from north Norfolk.

A 50 per cent stake was sold in December 2016 to Macquarie Group for £1.6 billion, a deal regarded as a real sign of investor confidence as construction was still ongoing.

Hornsea One

Commissioned: Pending

Lead developer: Orsted

Turbines: 174

Size: 7MW

Manufacturer: Siemens Gamesa

Capacity: 1,218MW

This first Round Three project brings the world’s largest title back to Grimsby having been held briefly by Lincs in 2013. Arranged across 407 sq km, 120km off the East Yorkshire coast, the capacity is almost equal to all that has been built out of Grimsby already, and the first wind farm to bring power onshore to the South Bank of the Humber, with a £25 million onshore substation at North Killingholme. Build out began in late January 2018, with the final 190m tall turbine installed in October 2019. A record-breaking £4.5 billion deal to sell half to Global Infrastructure Partners was agreed in September 2018.

Triton Knoll

ETA: 2022

Lead developer: Innogy

Turbines: 90

Size: 9.5MW

Manufacturer: MHI Vestas

Capacity 857MW

'Newby' Innogy joined the Grimsby cluster to bring forward this project, with MHI Vestas the equipment manufacturer of choice for the site off the Lincolnshire coast. It will be one of the first to take what at order was the world’s most powerful turbine, with offshore work underway with a first foundation installation in January.

Onshore construction began back in September 2018, with exported electricity connecting to the grid at Bicker Fen, near Boston. Orsted, the near neighbour on Royal Dock – where a new base is being built out – has signed a 15 year deal to take all the electricity generated.

Hornsea Two

ETA: 2022

Lead developer: Orsted

Turbines: 165

Size: 8GW

Manufacturer: Siemens Gamesa

Capacity: 1.4GW

Orsted’s next instalment on from Hornsea One. It wowed industry observers in September 2017 when it brought the price of offshore wind down to £57.50 – from £142 in 2011. It was immediately given financial sign-off in Copenhagen. Power follows the same route as Hornsea One, with construction, starting in quarter two this year, to be co-ordinated from Humberside Airport.

Hornsea Three

ETA: 2025

Lead developer: Orsted

Turbines 300*

Size 8MW*

Manufacturer: Unknown

Capacity: 2.4GW

Still awaiting consent, the largest proposal for the Hornsea Zone, and the furthest offshore, had been expecting a decision from the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy in October 2019. It was put back to March 31 this year to further examine impact on birds, and moved back again shortly afterwards. A decision is now anticipated by July 1. Power is planned to come onshore in north Norfolk, connecting to the grid near Norwich. *Estimated.

Race Bank Extension

ETA: Unknown

Lead developer: Orsted

Turbines: Unknown

Size: Unknown

Capacity: 573MW

Announced in October 2018 as part of The Crown Estate revealing eight sites that have met necessary requirements, it was to mirror what had been completed earlier that year off the Lincolnshire coast. No agreement for lease has yet been confirmed.

Hornsea Four

ETA: 2027

Lead developer: Orsted

Turbines: 180*

Capacity: 1.8GW

First consultation way ahead of the planning and consenting process began in August 2019, with 2027 eyed up for completion. Would bring power onshore in East Yorkshire, with the northern tip of the development 65km off Flamborough Head. *Estimated.